This invention relates to a method and an apparatus for spraying textile fiber bales such as cotton bales, with a liquid such as water, dye solutions, fiber treating agents or the like, wherein the liquid is taken from a reservoir through a conduit and the fiber bales are sprayed from above by means of a nozzle.
Liquids are sprayed on the upper face of fiber bales for various purposes such as moistening with water, marking with dye solutions and treating agents for enhancing processing of the fiber material, for example, solvents against honeydew. According to a known method, the liquids are sprayed from pipe conduits on conveyor belts. With this method, however, not only the textile material, but also the surrounding environment and machine components are exposed to the liquid. Damp and wet elements make the conveyance of the fiber material more difficult and the cleaning is circumstantial or not satisfactory which leads to disadvantages particularly when the type of material to be processed is changed. The time available to the liquid for acting upon the material is short: before the liquid can be absorbed or before it can penetrate into the inner material layers, the material is moved away and brought into contact with machine wall surfaces or guide elements. Thus, during such an occurrence, the fiber material loses significant amounts of surface moisture to the environment.